My buddies agreed on trialling some house rules to portray early the Clan Invasion period, and this is the first game we tested them in. The game went quite smoothly, mainly because of alot of good sportsmanship, and we had a lot of fun in the process.
In choosing forces in the past, we used to fiddle with numbers alot, as well as FSM, trying to 'balance' the game as much as possible or squeeze for unused BV point for either side. We didnt do any of that for this game, instead putting together units that looked good thematically and then just using our best judgement on deciding if the unit selections fit the scenario, and that the game was at least relativley balanced enough to allow for a fun time either side.
Historically the two units never met (at least as far as i know??), but we wanted to use these particular painted miniatures on the day, and so we just worked from there.
FORCES:Draconis Combine – 5th Sword of Light* Hatamoto-Chi, HTM-27U, (3050)
Unit (Lance) Commander, Pilot (3/4)
* Awesome, AWS-8Q, (3025)
Pilot (2/4)
* Griffin, JVN-10P, (3050)
Pilot (4/5)
* Shadow Hawk, SHD-2K, (3025)
Pilot (4/5)
* Wyvern, WVE-6N, (2950)
Pilot (4/5)
Jade Falcons, Gamma Galaxy* Summoner Prime, (3050)
Star Captain, Pilot (2/2)
* Hellbringer Prime, (3050)
Pilot (2/3)
* Mad Dog, (3050)
Pilot (3/4)
TURN 1 Jade Falcons Issue their challenges over the open frequency. Mad Dog pilot issues a challenge to the Griffin pilot, while the Hellbringer challenges the Awesome. Similarly, Star Captain challenges Draconis lance commander to a duel. Draconis forces accept the duel challenges, despite the bizarre nature and etiquette of the attacking forces.
Wyvern and Griffin begin a flanking manouver along wooded hillsides towards the Mad Dog, using their jump jets at full tilt. Shadow Hawk lays down some long range covering fire.
Mad Dog advances cautiously towards the same hillside range. Awesome and Hatamoto Chi slowly advance together towards a slight elevation to set up for a firing position. The quickly advancing Summoner manages to hit the Hatamoto Chi with a clan ER PPC, smashing one side of the mech from an impressive distance.
Light long range fire is exchanged. Hellbringer pilot, awaiting the arrival of the Awesome, chooses another target in the meantime, and manages a long range ER PPC hit on the Shadow Hawk’s left torso, almost taking out that entire section. The Mad Dog fires with its large pulse lasers, and manages to hit the Wyvern with both of them for tremendous damage.
TURN 2 The Wyvern and griffin jump jet for a temporary retreat along wooded hillside, Shadow Hawk lays covering fire. All three mechs concentrate fire on the marauding Mad Dog, forgoing any previous duel they had commited to in the panic of fighting against such powerful and alien technology. The combined laser and missile fire dealing 26 damage to the Mad Dog, all internals now showing on its left arm. The sheer fire forces the clan mech backwards momentarily, but then it returned light laser fire and a flight of LRM20s towards the Wyvern, causing some concerning damage along torso areas.
The Awesome has by now managed to reach the crest of a small hilltop, within short range of the Mad Dog engaged in fire against 3 mechs! The Awesome unleashes all its PPC’s at the clan mech, punching huge armor armor chunks from its centre torso and right leg. The clan mech would just not fall or retreat despite the massive hail of fire.
Hatamoto Chi, at the edge of the small forest, exchanges fire with the the Summoner jump jetting around the forest perimeter. Summoner takes significant damage from a mix of pulse lasers and PPCs to its left torso, exposing the internals. The Star Captain’s accuracy deals a devastating total of 27 damage in return to the Hatamoto’s torso and arms. Both pilots manage to keep their mechs from falling despite the volume of damage.
TURN 3Wyvern, Shadow Hawk, and Griffin continue to harass the Mad Dog with medium-long range fire, while the Mad Dog’s armour is further reduced in all areas. The Mad Dog begins to target and damage the Griffin as well.
The Hellbringer and Awesome finally square off and exchange deadly and accurate fire. Both marksmen fire all their PPCs. Hellbringer pilot hits with one clan ER PPC, heavily damaging the torso. The Awesome proceeds to hit with all 3 of its PPCs, smashing the clan mech’s left arm, right arm, and left torso (30 damage total!). The Helbringer is looking very flimsy at this point, its heat dangerously high, and yet it would not fall.
The Summoner momentarily jumps to the far side of the small forest, trying to lure the Hatamoto Chi through the thick foliage. The Draconis commander however, cools his mech down and is not fooled, remaining in place and awaiting the Star Captain’s next move. The Draconis commander snaps off a lone PPC shot at the Falcon Hellbringer across the lake, but misses.
TURN 4 Hellbringer retreats slightly, behind a small hillside to put some distance between itself and the deadly Awesome. On the other hand, like an animal gone berserk, the Mad Dog charged towards the bottom of the hillside towards the advancing Wyvern, Shadow Hawk, and Griffin.
Hellbringer’s single ER PPC shot was precisely aimed on the Shadow Hawk, the blast striking the mech’s head and disintegrating the structure, instantly killing the Kuritan mechwarrior within. Only a lifeless but still standing Shadow Hawk with a smoking head remained.
The Mad Dog, charging through a hail of fire, aimed all its pulse lasers into the Wyvern and hitting with all, tearing out its entire central torso section and collapsing the Wyvern in a ruined heap.
It was at this point that the panicking Draconis Commander issued the order for a hasty tactical retreat, under the covering fire of several aerospace strafing runs. Regrouping with the other remaining forces and reinforcements would give them a greater chance at victory against the superior equipment of the Clans. The Falcons would then feel the full fury of the Dragon.
Much to their annoyance, the Falcon units themeselves received a transmission from their commanding Star Colonel, ordering them to fall back and regroup with the rest of the Trinary. It had been established that the Draconis Forces had proven themselves far from honorable in other nearby engagements – and were to be crushed into submission by the Trinary as a whole, just outside the planet’s capital city.